JAPANESE LINES PENETRATED

Southland Times, Issue 24875, 15 October 1942, Page 5

JAPANESE LINES PENETRATED

Fighting In Owen Stanleys (Special Australian Correspondent, N.Z.P.A.) (Rec. 10.30 p.m.) SYDNEY, October 14. Australian troops have penetrated the Japanese positions astride the Owen Stanley trail south of Templeton’s Crossing just past the summit of the ranges and they are still driving on. The strength of the enemy forces in the area has not been announced. A skirmish in which tommy-gun fire was exchanged occurred after the opposing patrols had stalked each other on Monday. It is*reported today that determined frontal and flank actions finally drove the Japanese from their foxholes, trenches and machine-gun posts and that the Australians are now approaching Templeton’s Crossing, which is on the edge of the northern slopes of the ranges at the junction of alternative trails through Kagi and Myola (both already in the hands of our forces). The latest report that the Australian advance is continuing encourages the belief that further good news from the New Guinea front may be expected. Most war commentators believe that once Templeton’s Crossing is passed the Japanese are unlikely to offer strong resistance until Kokoda is reached at the foot of the ranges—a drop of 5000 feet down a 12 miles trail. LIGHT CASUALTIES No estimate has been given of the number of casualties inflicted on the Japanese, but 'the Australians’ losses during the whole advance are stated to have been light. More men have been brought back to hospital suffering from tropical disease than from wounds. Commenting on the morale of the advancing Australian troops, The Sydney Morning Herald war correspondent, writing from New Guinea, says: I think these men went into the fray this time in precisely the appropriate frame of mind. They did not go along the track singing and happy and making flambuoyant statements about their anxiety to meet the Japanese. Nobody singsand nobody can be thoroughly happy in the rain-sodden, stinking jungles or New Guinea, which are infested with all those things which fly, creep or crawl and pester a man during his waking and sleeping hours. These fellows have come back into battle as angry as the devil at the Japanese for having made them tramp twice through ■ the Owen Stanley Range. They told ; me they would square things up when I they got into action. Their thinking is in right tune with that of a senior Australian officer plugging his way through to the front line. On his way he was addressed by groups of soldiers. Wherever he has met them i the usual tone of his remarks has been: “This time we are-going to beat tfye little yellow and I promise you you will not have to walk back over these mountains. You will come back from Buna either by boat or aeroplane. DIFFICULT CAMPAIGN If the High Command strategy is in tune with the spirit of this senior officer’s remarks the Australian advance will not cease until the Japanese have been driven out of their North Papuan strongholds. A campaign so far from the Allied base at Port Moresby, howI ever, would prevent grave difficulties.

Evidence that the Japanese are still in some strength around Buna is found in today’s report from General Douglas MacArthur's - headquarters that American Havoc attack bombers with a fighter escort on Tuesday made a sweep over the Wairopi area and also strafed enemy barges on the beach. Heavy bombers made a night raid on the aerodrome at Buna with unknown results. MARIST MISSIONARIES MURDERED (Rec. 7 p.m.) LONDON, October 13. News has been received in London that Fathers Henry Engberink and Arthur Duhamel and Sisters Sylvia and Odatya, of the Marist Mission on Ruacatu, on Guadalcanar, have been murdered by Japanese soldiers. Their bodies were found at Tasimbok, Guadalcanar. They had all been bayoneted in the throat. A third nun, Sister Edmet, escaped.